Devil's Advocate

Entries with the tag: david clarkson

Well, its finally back. There is no use crying over lost time, so here are some news, notes and quotes since the news broke the lockout ended in NJ.

Petr Sykora, who played for the Devils last season, is hoping to be invited back to Devils camp again after his contract expired after the previous season. If you remember, Sykora entered the training camp last year and was originally expected to be a long shot to make the team. Not only did he make the team, he contributed 21 goals and 23 assists.

It was probably one of the first times Martin Brodeur has faced some real action since the Devils skated off the ice after being defeated by the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. But in the Operation Hat Trick charity game in Atlantic City this past Saturday, Brodeur let 10 goals get by him in a 10-6 loss for Team Hartnell.

Obviously there was no real fore check being used in this game, as it was basically a glorified All-Star game, but every shot that seemed to make it through to Brodeur ended up in the back of the net, causing the Flyers fans in the arena to start the sing-song chant of "Mar-ty."

According to Tom Gulitti's Fire and Ice blog, David Clarkson has agreed to play in Austria with EC Red Bull Salzburg.

According to the team website for EC Red Bull Salzburg, Devils right wing David Clarkson has signed to play with the Austrian Hockey League team.

The story on the site, which shows Clarkson holding Red Bull Salzburg jersey, the 28-year-old Toronto native arrived in Austria earlier today with is wife and daughter and is expected to practice with the team for the first time later today.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom currently also plays with the team.

Clarkson was originally unsure whether or not he would play elsewhere during the lockout, telling Gulitti, "That’s something I’ve been thinking about and might end up happening, but I’m somebody that thinks a certain way.”

In only five games the New Jersey Devils defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, propelling them to a date against the Rangers or Capitals in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In the series against the Flyers, the Devils shed the “tired and sloppy” look for one that suited them much better against the highly-favored Flyers squad. The Devils relied on a strong defensive prowess to shut down the potent offense that the Flyers possessed. What’s even more impressive is the Devils accomplished the five-game series win with a goaltender who just recently turned 40.

With a 5-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, the New Jersey Devils have officially clinched a berth in the postseason this year. The Devils failed to make the playoffs last season. In the past 22 seasons, the Devils have been in the playoffs 21 times.

Martin Brodeur, who pitched a shutout to solidify a Devils playoff birth, is happy to be back in the playoffs after last years mess.

“It was tough,” Brodeur said to Tom Gulitti of The Bergen Recod, “I didn’t think it was going to bother me that much because we were out for so long, early in the season. It was a tough start we had. But when I started to watch a little bit of hockey maybe in the second and third round, I was like, ‘Wow, I’m really missing this atmosphere.’ This is why was an important thing for me to go out and try to get in the playoffs, get back at it.”